Unhinged theory:
Sanemi has some form of anxiety
Let me explain:
We all know Sanemi is depressed but I think he has some kind of anxiety disorder too. The evidence is based on two categories:
Sleep Deprivation
Anxiety & Stress
Sleep Deprivation
For this point, I made the diagram below(yes, I have no personal life 😔).
The main symptom that supports the sleep deprivation theory is his bloodshot eyes. Sanemi's eyes are always bloodshot and he always has eyebags, even when he's in a relaxed state (you can tell because his 'eye dots' are larger) which could be an indication of lack of sleep.
His scraggly hair could also be a symptom because aside from Giyuu (who has depression) he's the only Hashira that doesn't seem to take care of his hair.
Another observation I made is that Sanemi is always leaning on something or hanging on something. He also puts his chin on his hand/palm, I do that when I'm tired too.
Or sometimes, he hangs on to his belt.
It seems like a stretch but he does these things often and he's the only character -that I know of- that does this. It could just be a character quirk though, due to his ghetto upbringing.
He's also the only one visibly tired after the training session between him, Obanai, and Muichiro.
I noticed in the first episode of the Hashira Training Arc right after the Infinity Fortress trial period expired and he ended up stabbing the floor, he immediately sat down. Why? Seems like a weird thing to do .
Then there's all the wobbling he does in the mansion while fighting the demons.
Sleep deprivation can come with steep consequences, including an increased risk of car crashes, heart problems, reduced immune function, and
Anxiety & Stress
The evidence for this has to do more with his behavior and actions, especially his anger and impulsive decisions. Most people associate anxiety with fear which makes sense but anxiety can also manifest as anger too.
From the article linked below,
Anxiety causes anger for several reasons. At its peak, anxiety can cause overwhelming emotions and thoughts that make you lash out in an attempt to regain your sense of power in a stressful situation.
Explore the connection between anxiety and anger. Learn how anxiety triggers irritability and discover strategies to control anxiety-induced
Anxiety as anger can be triggered by:
Flight-or-fight response - when he feels threatened
Emotional exhaustion - from his past trauma and loss
Perceived loss of control - encounters with Tanjiro(bestest boy ❤)
Cognitive distortions - his belief that he's a monster, that he has to shoulder things by himself etc.
The perceived loss of control I feel is a defining factor for the two drastic decisions he's known for:
Stabbing Nezuko – A Corps member has been harboring a demon. In his mind, the Corps has been infiltrated, and Tanjiro’s probably been feeding Nezuko people.
Trying to poke Genya’s eyes out – His brother has been eating demons. He probably fears that Genya will turn into a demon and then he will have to kill his only surviving family member. Or that Genya will die early if he continues eating demons and fighting.
When it comes to stress, he displays the following symptoms:
Irritability
Anger
Grumpiness
Always on edge
Restlessness
Impatience
Stress can seriously affect your body and mind. Learn more from WebMD about our response to stress, both healthy and unhealthy.
His impatience with others and with himself, with him trying to get the mark as fast as possible also points to anxiousness. His white hair too! He hair probably turned prematurely grey due to environmental stress, taking care of his family, worrying about keeping them safe, his violent upbringing and probably lack of nutrients from food because he would most likely have his younger siblings eat all the food instead of him.
An article from the geriatric medicine section of GPnotebook: Grey hair in a child.
So everything is all tied together. His anxiety from past trauma contributes to his present anxiety which prevents him from getting proper sleep and increases his stress levels which leads to even more anxiety.
But how does he fight and stay so alert then?
I think his anxiety disorder is high functioning plus he takes a lot of matcha tea which has caffeine. His constant eating of ohagi probably also keeps him hyper too.
Matcha contains caffeine. In fact, it contains more caffeine than most other types of tea, as it consists of whole powdered tea leaves.
Another piece of evidence that solidifies my theory is the appearance of his eyes in the last chapters.
Probably had that sleep he hadn't gotten in years.
In Conclusion, our boy Sanemi has some form of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and is highly stressed due to lack of sleep which is why he acts and looks like a crackhead. He needs some sleep and possibly to get laid.
